Canadian Cattle Association announces Andrea Brocklebank as CEO 

Andrea Brocklebank will become the Canadian Cattle Association’s (CCA) Chief Executive Officer in early March. Brocklebank currently serves as Executive Director for Beef Cattle Research Council (BCRC), a division of the CCA. CCA President Tyler Fulton made the announcement today, citing Brocklebank’s proven track record of strategic decisions and collaboration as critical skills that will ease the senior leadership transition and help ensure CCA is well positioned for the future. 

An executive recruitment firm conducted an extensive recruitment process and CCA’s directors enthusiastically accepted their recommendation. “On behalf of the directors, we are excited to welcome Andrea as our CEO,” says Fulton.

“We are confident that with Andrea leading us, the Canadian Cattle Association is well positioned to navigate continued global market uncertainty as we work towards renewing the Canada-United States-Mexico Agreement (CUSMA) and other priorities.” 

The CEO role is a new designation for the Canadian Cattle Association. “As we planned for Executive Vice President Dennis Laycraft’s retirement and a senior leadership transition, we determined that the description of CEO more accurately reflects the role of our senior staff member,” explains Fulton. “With some small but key changes to the role and the selection of Andrea, we are confident that we have found the right person with the right leadership qualities to lead the Canadian Cattle Association now and in the years ahead.” 

Tracy Herbert has been appointed Interim Executive Director, effective March 1. Herbert has led the BCRC’s knowledge mobilization program since joining the BCRC in 2011. Laycraft will maintain business as usual at CCA until the leadership transition takes place in March. 

About Andrea Brocklebank 

Andrea Brocklebank joined CCA in 2004 and held various roles with Canfax Research Services and BCRC before becoming Executive Director of BCRC in 2009. In her current position, she manages the delivery of research through the BCRC and Beef Science Cluster to fund research in areas of importance to the industry. She oversees the administration of funding received through the Canadian Beef Cattle Check-Off, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, and other sources to deliver research programming, knowledge mobilization activities, and the Verified Beef Production Plus program. Brocklebank is also responsible for leading the development and implementation of the Canadian Beef Research and Knowledge Mobilization Strategy and advancing collaborative funding partnerships aligned with the strategy. 

Brocklebank completed a Bachelor of Arts in agricultural studies at the University of Lethbridge and Masters of Science in agricultural economics at the University of Saskatchewan. She was raised on a farm in southern Alberta that she and her husband now manage. Prior to working with the CCA, she worked within the Canadian cattle feeding sector and in agriculture finance and lending.